Posted by Gwmayhem  7/21/2026 4:43 pm | #1 |
If you were around during the 2005-06 season, then you know. I pick out this season, rather than the Sweet 16 season, because the Sweet 16 team suffered many more losses and let's face it, received some luck (of the draw) in the NCAA Tournament. But in 2005-06, GW went 26-1 during the regular season. It beat Maryland. It survived a subpar performance at Marshall. Mo Rice bailed the team out against Xavier. Mike Hall's brain and Carl Elliott's "right place at the right time yet again" preserved an undefeated conference season against Charlotte (as Pops hugged Scott Van Pelt ant the court was rightfully stormed). If you were fortunate enough to make the trip to Greensboro, or even watch it on tv, you saw GW's greatest comeback victory at the Dance (and maybe of all time) against UNC Wilmington.
If you were around that season, you were following a group of players who for the most part was coming off the school's first-ever A10 Men's Basketball Championship a season prior. You lived and died with this team but mostly, you lived large. As a sports fan, it would likely go down as one of the best sports experiences you've ever had as a fan. It certainly was for me.
So, and nobody is saying this or predicting this, but let's just say that the 2026-27 Revs had a comparable season to the 2005-06 Colonials. A team that returns one player and 12% of the team's total minutes played from last season. A second player whose name we know but was redshirted and did not play. And the rest (excluding a walk-on), all newcomers who we may grow to love, like or exasperate over but who we simply don't know yet. Now remember, under this imaginary scenario, this team just wins and wins and wins. It reaches the Dance and wins at least one game there.
How do you think you will feel? On the one hand, it's GW, your school, where things like this hardly ever happen to us. We're nationally ranked and the outside world starts bringing up GW to you. Of course, you feel great, that's not really the question. The question is how similar are you feeling to 2005-06 when you were supporting team that had stayed together for a number of years? Do you think a virtually entire group of newcomers pulling this off will have some impact? Or, none at all?
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Posted by Poog 7/21/2026 8:17 pm | #2 |
Teams are generally remembered for how they finish, not how they were projected or anticipated. Sweet 16 and NIT champions are remembered and engender fond memories because in the first case they played Southern in round 2 and in the second because they wiped out bad vibes for not making the NCAA’s. If this year’s “who is he?” team succeeds, they’ll be remembered as fan favorites down the road. Doesn’t take long to fall in love, or at least like, in today’s NIL world. One and done isn’t just reserved for the Dukes and Kentucky’s.
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Posted by GW0509 7/22/2026 7:47 am | #3 |
I was a freshman for the 05-06 season so in some ways, that team was basically all newcomers to me. The winning, the rankings, the media coverage, etc. were all vital to me becoming as big of a fan of GW basketball as I am today. I don't think the fact that I didn't get to see Pops/Hall/Pinnock for more than a season reduced the fun I had as a fan. So for the current students at GW, I think it would be nothing but a positive and hopefully GW would be better prepared this time around to capitalize on that success.
Now that I am older, it would definitely feel different that it's not a team that has played together for many years, but I wouldn't necessarily be less excited about all the winning. In a weird way, I would probably feel happier for the coaching staff and the admin of GW for putting us in that position to win than I would the players on the court.
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Posted by Wisconsin Colonial 1974 7/27/2026 7:10 am | #4 |
LSF and I traveled to Greensboro to watch GW in the 2006 NCAA tournament. The comeback win against UNC-Wilmington was exciting, but almost as notable was that we played Duke (who, of course, played in NC) tough in the second game. That was the Duke team that featured JJ Redick, but it was their center Sheldon Williams who really hurt us since Pops was hurt.
As for this year, after following GW for 55 years, I will be excited if we are successful. We have to adjust our perspective given the new era in college basketball. Longing for the days when players stayed for four or five years is futile. I may not have the same attachment to the players as in the past, but if we do well this year, I’ll be happy and remember this team.
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Posted by Gwmayhem 7/29/2026 11:46 am | #5 |
WC1974 must be referring to the Shelden Wiliams who committed 6 fouls in the first half against us but was only called for one. It's possible I am exaggerating so if that's the case, let's just say that nobody who might look at the film could ever conclude that a minimum of 4 fouls were committed.
Back to the basic premise of my post, I fully agree that it will be extremely rare if not impossible to ever see another GW team with 6-7 key players who've played together for 3+ years. Even though I referenced the 2005-06 team, a better way to ask this would be to ask if say Trey A., Christian J., Garrett J., and Luke H. all remained on this year's team, along with Jean, and that team had incredible success this upcoming season, would you feel differently than if our upcoming roster (with essentially one returning player that we've seen play) was to have this same level of success?
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Posted by DC Native 7/29/2026 4:22 pm | #6 |
I root for the name on the front of the jerseys, not the names on the back. That doesn't mean I don't have favorite players, or appreciate when players stick around, but I will be very happy with any success the team has this year, despite the turnover.
Incidentally, although the turnover in MCBB is pretty extreme these days, its part of a trend in sports in general. I don't believe the Wizards have a single player that was on the team 3 years ago. Other than Tress Way (P), the Commanders have completely overhauled their roster since Peters and Quinn arrived two years ago. Alex Ovechkin is a true unicorn, but I don't believe any of the other Caps from their championship a few years ago are still around. The Nats have completely turned over their roster in the last few years as well. Unfortunately, almost all athletes are mercenaries these days...
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Posted by GWRising 7/29/2026 4:47 pm | #7 |
DC Native wrote:
I root for the name on the front of the jerseys, not the names on the back. That doesn't mean I don't have favorite players, or appreciate when players stick around, but I will be very happy with any success the team has this year, despite the turnover.
Incidentally, although the turnover in MCBB is pretty extreme these days, its part of a trend in sports in general. I don't believe the Wizards have a single player that was on the team 3 years ago. Other than Tress Way (P), the Commanders have completely overhauled their roster since Peters and Quinn arrived two years ago. Alex Ovechkin is a true unicorn, but I don't believe any of the other Caps from their championship a few years ago are still around. The Nats have completely turned over their roster in the last few years as well. Unfortunately, almost all athletes are mercenaries these days...
It's one of the reasons the younger generations root for players and not teams anymore. That ultimately will lead to a situation where players will hold most of the power and of course, jeopardize franchise stability and profits in some markets. Lebron's move to the 76ers had more social media interest and engagement than the Knicks winning the championship ... and the Knicks are in the largest market in pro sports.
